There are many situations in which it is desirable to have available a form of portable temporary screen or display consisting of one or more panels, for a variety of purposes. For example, such displays have been advantageously used at sporting events, political conventions, and advertising displays at trade shows. Another example, is the erection of a temporary sun or wind screen, such as inside an automobile, the top of the dashboard panel in the front of the automobile or on a beach. Other storable, portable, panels may be required by hunters, as portable blinds. Another use is for example as food serving trays on picnics.
The other uses for such panels are in the collection of debris or the protection of clothing, for example, in the case of a hair dressing salon, or a make-up studio. In all of these situations, there may be a requirement for such a panel which can be extended to cover a substantial area, and which yet can readily be folded into a compact volume, so that it may be packaged and put away in a convenient pouch when not in use.
Such panels may also be used for recreational purposes. For example, they may be thrown like any other circular flat object, and they will soar through the air in a somewhat erratic unpredictable manner, to provide a form of game for the beach or in a park.
In the past, various forms of panel systems have been proposed. For example, sunscreen panels have been provided for the interior of a vehicle. These are usually simply sheets of paper board material which are folded in such a way that when they are unfolded into an extended condition, they can be stood upright on the dash panel. These systems are reasonably effective and have the advantage that they may carry some form of printing or graphics, which is then displayed through the front windshield. Thus such panels are suitable as promotional media. Consequently, they can usually be produced with at least a major portion of the cost covered by an advertiser, so that the actual cost of the screen itself to the end user can be reduced to a minimum.
However, these systems are relatively clumsy and do not fold into a compact easily storable package.
Another form of self-extending sun screen panel is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,784.
In this patent, a sun shield for example for the front windshield of an automobile, when it is parked, is provided by means of a generally rectangular panel of material, with two spring wire hoops for supports. The spring wire hoops extend parts of the panel, so that it substantially fills the windshield. Between the two hoops the panel is joined by a hinged portion, and the panel may be folded around the hinged portion.
This particular system, while being effective for the particular purpose for which it is designed, is of somewhat restricted utility. It is essentially applicable only to the blocking of the sun's rays from passing through an automobile windshield, and is not adaptable to other purposes.
Folding panels of rigid material are, generally speaking, not suitable for use as storable self extending display panels such as may be used at sporting events or political conventions or the like. They do not lend themselves readily to be carried on the person, and are clumsy to use. In the past, spectators of sporting events wishing to make a visual demonstration have usually been restricted to simply displaying a large panel of cloth which must usually be held out in its extended form by four or six people. Obviously, systems of this type are not satisfactory since they obstruct the view of other spectators, and are unlikely to be tolerated for any length of time. In political conventions, the usual type of display panel involves one or two pieces of paper board fastened to a wooden stick. Again, these systems are clumsily and likely to lead to injury unless carefully handled, and are also easily broken. Secondly, they are not in any way collapsible, and cannot be carried on the person in a folded or stored condition.